Calvary Chapel pastor Bob Coy resigns over ‘moral failing’

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WTVR) — The founder and pastor of a Florida mega-church has resigned after confessing to cheating on his wife.

One churchgoer WPLG talked to was brought to tears after learning pastor Bob Coy had suddenly stepped down.

“I’m very sad, but you know we are all sinners,” said one parishioner.

The 58-year-old reportedly admitted to cheating on his wife, who he founded Calvary Chapel Church with nearly 30 years ago.

Bob Coy (WPLG)

Parishioners realized something was amiss
after church elders called a special meeting.

Thousands attended the Sunday service at the church’s main campus in Fort Lauderdale.

Church elders said in a statement that Coy would be focusing on his family while away from the church.

“Pastor Bob will be focusing his full attention on his personal relationship with God and his family,” the church said in a statement. “The church is providing counselors and ministers who will help guide him through the process of full repentance, cleansing and restoration.”

Churchgoers are still coming to terms with what impact Coy’s loss will have on the church.

“He was our leader, but we’re still a strong church, so we have other pastors that are gonna step up,” said church member Patricia Urquiaga.

Joseph LaFontaine, who recorded the resignation letter that was read at Sunday’s meeting, told WFOR that the crowd was very quiet as the resignation letter was read.

“It was very cold-ish feeling,” said LaFontaine, who has attended Calvary Chapel on and off for seven years.

“There should have been more accountability at Calvary Chapel,” he said. “He shouldn’t have been put on such a high pedestal and he should have never had so much power. Whenever that…that’s a formula for disaster.”

The popular church has over 20,000 members with 10 campuses and 1,000 employees.

70 comments

Don

Discerned something wrong with him long ago. Since the first time I heard him on my wife’s car radio.

Only now, looking back, do I realize that he was “motivational”.

Funny how true prophets were KILLED because the Word of God was offensive. Funny how Paul himself was abandoned by the very Churches he founded. Why? Because speaking the TRUTH about Gods Word is OFFENSIVE to the flesh – to both the sinner and the saint. The only difference is, the sinner doesn’t like the Word of Truth and simply tries to justify the foul action, but the saint accepts and cherishes the admonishment of the Lord and strives to abandon the sinful thing.

But this man was afraid to ruffle feathers. Afriad to take a hard stand against sin. Always trying to tickle the ears of his congregation. And “Church goers” love that. But REAL CHRISTIANS want something less … milky.

Makes sense to not take a strong stance against sin … when still repeatedly living IN sin.

“Do not all strive to be leaders, for you will receive a HARSHER JUDGMENT” – Bible

So, the people in his building who say that “we are all sinners” had better read that above Scripture. Just a suggestion.

And while they are at it, read Zech 11:17.

People need to learn to follow GOD, not men. You fall as men fall. But you will stand if you follow God, regardless if everyone around you falls.

It will be interesting to see if this is handled according to the Word of God … or the traditions of men.

And to the people who are trying to sweep this under the rug by simply saying “don’t judge” and “God forgives” … you better learn to start READING your Bible. Jesus’ harshes words were against the RELIGIOUS (scribes and pharisees).

God hates to be misrepresented.

But, I hope he truely repents through all of this. But being restored? Well, I’m not so much a fan of that. Not with a sin this great. Sexual sin is a sin punishable by Hellfire. Clearly seen even in HIS Bible. This isn’t some silly mistake, like an outburst, or not filling taxes, or making a mistake with the Word of God.

We are talking about SEXUAL SIN. Infidelity. Violation of a covenant and a promise. Can he be forgiven? Of course! But SHOULD he be restored? I do not think he should, not when I read the cases of the early Church in the Scripture.

Bob Coy should be more forthright in the position he had. I believe it was his duty to speak to his congregation about his “moral failings”.. and the world (due to the millions that listen and watch him daily)… instead of a simple letter and bow out. We don’t need to know the details! But, we do know that all the years he ministered were not in vain. That he still has the courage to stand tall in the midst of this “moral failure” and belay any coarse speculation or gossip which may or may not be true. People want to put Jimmy Swaggart down because of his confession on live television. Sure , he was caught in the act, but he was strong enough to tell the world ON HIS FEET that he was a failure. I am not Bobs or Jimmys judge, but when a man so high falls we must be assured that the roots that brought him to the pulpit are still holding strong in a man who dedicated his life in opposition to “moral failure”. Otherwise, did he truly believe what he preached. I did enjoy his sermons on the radio. I will pray for him, his family and his congregation (the millions worldwide).

Nicholas e. smith

You do not need anything from Bob Coy. he admitted failure. Your faith should be in Jesus. If your faith is shaken by Pastor Bob’s moral failure, then you need to reevaluate your faith. His atonement is not owed to us but to God. I’ve seen alot of Bob’s sermons. They have great messages and haven’t lost an ounce of meaning to me. This is just a reminder to guard your heart because no one invulnerable.

A. LaVallee

Look, He let you down? He let himself down and wasn’t man enough to speak to his own parishiners in person. Own up! Believe me, he’s not suffering from any of this! He and his family will live a very comfortable life whereever they go. He will start all over again. Just keep the faith and end all this talk about Paster Bob! It’s over, stop dwelling on it. get on with what’s important in your lives now! Sure, you’re all let down, but life goes on. sdtop talking about it and do something constructive to keep your mouths shut!

Dana Charles

Wow really

W.R.

Pastor Bob Coy,

So, while you were passionately pounding your “other” woman and making her eyes pop out and toes curl -in the name of Jesus-, how much thought did you give your wife and children in the heat of “preparing a sermon” with a woman who isn’t your wife?

You serve a gracious and merciful God. However, the absolute humiliation you have disgraced your wife and family with is downright inexcusable.

You are a terrible and wretched excuse for a man. Thank Jesus for his unlimited mercy and forgiveness.

Mercy

Well Bob…all what you taught over the pulpit about the consequences of ADULTERY is now applied to you to. Yes, you are forgiven and Jesus loves you despite your lying, cheating, deceiving, double faced, hypocritical, and sinful nature. :)

Were the last 30 years in your ministry a great big lie? How are your wife and kids doing?

A.L.

Enough is Enough! Stop this sending back and forth get on with your business he is being punished End this nonsence of talking about a man who as many others in high positions and even not high ones have been doing all kinds of things that are bad but why continue to talk about it?
Get over it and concentrate on your own goods and bads in your own house. He’s being punished more than you all realize so let it DIE now!!
Give this a closing and go on with your lives stop dwelling on this.

Sheeba

Amy

I don’t know what kind of accountability Calvery has. I called there in 2011 to see if there was a Code of Conduct that staff was expected to uphold, since a staff person was sleeping with my now ex spouse.

St. Augustine (354-430) was one of the greatest intellectual and holy man of the Catholic Church. History says that Augustin knew of his sinful life and sooner or later people would find it. So, before people find it, Augustine decided to tell it to his people (being a catholic bishop) …he wrote about it and It became one of the most beautiful books on spiritual and intelectual life of the Western Christianity and Western
philosophy.The book was called CONFESSIONS.He says
“How can the past and future be, when the past no longer is, and the future is not yet? As for the present, if it were always present and never moved on to become the past, it would not be time, but eternity.”
― Augustine of Hippo, Confessions

Pope Francis says: “In the Cross we see the monstrosity of man, guided by evil; BUT we also see the immensity of God’s mercy who does not treat us according to our sins, BUT according to His mercy”…be merciful with your pastor…pray for him…if your Master (God) is merciful to you…can you do it with your brother?

jay jay

You cant play with God…hell is real and Jesus didnt die for us notto repent…it was so we would repent and turn from our wicked ways . jesus started his ministry off with saying repent…the kingdom of heaven is at hand!!

jay jay

I feel for the wife and kids more than any…and will pray for her….it is good he came forth but he probably did because he was exposed privately, not because he was sorry.(only God really knows..i hope it was for the right reasons) We must pray for mega churches because there is a lot of deception in them…they can be very money driven and people tend to hide in the mega churches because there is not alot of accountibility. People think they are right with God because they are tithing and going to ” so in sos” church. The early used to meet in homes not mega churches..they had accountibility with oneanother. The mega churches goal is to draw in mega dollars and trust me they do it. just because the church is full and money is flowing in doesnt mean that it is full of the presence of God…I want to be full of the true presence of God…don’t be fooled by the hype of church and think that God is pleased. I used to think so until he showed me..not so. it was very scary to think so many people are being deceived by empyness in the spirit, but in the natutal it is a big great service. Truthfully God is going to judge our lifestyles, not based on the church we went to. We must get right with Jesus. I have been in church for 25 years and I have more wonderful times with the Lord when my family and I have church right at home. We must realize that we are the church and not the building. The word of God is sharper than any two edged sword…I pray for whoever reading this will lean on the word of God and the Lord and obey God in your private and everyday day life. Don’t depend on any Pastor or persons for your salvation, but rather on knowing Jesus and walking in true obedience with him behind the scenes. It is not what what we want things to look like that counts but we will be judged for every idle word, and everything we cover up will be uncovered. God is merciful and he is love but he is Holy and requires us to be honest and live according to his Holy standards. I believe more and more Pastors will be judged and exposed for this type of hypocrisy. God help us be real and lets us stop fulfilling the lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Hell is a long time people…..Wide is the gate to destruction and narrow is the gate to life and few be that find it. I pray all who reading this find Jesus and serve in a genuine way. Let’s get it right because we will be judged righteously by Jesus

lavall9@comcast.net

AMEN, AMEN. I FEEL THE EXACT SAME WAY! GLAD SOME OTHERS FEEL THIS WAY AND THAT’S WHY I PRA AT HOME OR IN THE CAR, SITTING ON THE BEACH OR ON A ROCK NO MATTER WHERE I AM “GOD” IS THERE WITH YOU, AND I LET HIM INTO
MY HEART, MY MIND, MY WHOLE BEING.. I DON’T HAVE TO GO TO ANY OTHER TYPE OF BUILDING. PEOPLE ARE SO GULABLE AND MAKE MONEY OFF OF THESE TYPE OF PEOPLE. SO SAD, SO MANY SO-CALLED PASTORS ARE DOING IT ON A EVEN LARGER SCALE! WHEN ARE THESE PEOPLE GOING TO REALIZE THIS?